Aeroplane structure



A g- 1932- I H. v. THADEN AEROPLANE STRUCTURE File d Jan. .19, 1951 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Aug. 1932- HfvhTHADEN 1,870,595

AEROPLANE STRUGTUR E Filed Jan. 19, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR A wm 7/.

7 wmm 1932- H. v. THADEN 1,870,595

AEROPLANE STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 19, 1931 s Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR 10 members.

' sive bulkheads 3 ofthe wing Patented Aug. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES EGBATION F DELAWARE PATENT OFFICE L- E31 V. TEADEN, OF MOUNT LEBANON, PENNSYLVNIA, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 GENERAL AVIATION GORPOBA'IION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A COR- Annornenr: srnncrunn Applicationfiled January 19, 1931. Serial No. 509,695.

My invention relates to improvements in the structure of aeroplanes, and particularly of those whose wings are of monocoque type. It consists particularly in a wing structure having arranged within it a container for fuel, ordinarily gasolene. 'lhe spar or frame of an aeroplane wing of monocoque type consists of a shell supported upon a succession of transversely disposed bulkheads or brace In an application for Letters Patent of the United States filed December 11,

1929, Serial No. 8,255, 1 have described an aeroplane wing whose spar is of monocoque type, and consists of a shell of metal cor- 'rugated in the direction of the length of the spar and of a succession of bulkheads formed also of sheets of corrugated metal. It is in 7 an aeroplane whose wing structure is that of the said application for Letters Pateiit that *e l have developed my present invention, and

in such association I shall show and describe h the accompanying drawings Fig. l is a view 1n transverse section through an aero- 2; plane wing having a fuel container incorporated in its structure, in embodiment of'my invention; l igvfi is a fragmentary view partly in plampartly in horizontal section, of the same structure; the plane on which the to view of Fig. I is taken is indicated by the line l-li in Fig. ll; Fig. H1 is a view in perspective of a gasolene tank unit. Such a unit or a plurality of such units are,inthe practice of the invention, built into the structure of the spar P of the wing; Fig. is a fragmentary view to larger scale, showing in section (on the plane IV-IV of Fig. l) certain details of assembly; F igs. V and VI are views correspondingto Fig. IV, and illustrating modifications.

The gasolene tank unit 1 shown in perspective in Fig. III maybe understood to be such in shape and size as to be=introduced into A and-substantially to fill the space 'within the shell 2 and between two immediately succes- 7 ar. It is a simple tank, penetrated by tn 4 which when the tank unit is assembled will be under? stoodrto extend longitudinally of the spar. secured in-fluid-tight union In bringing together the with the shell assembly and in securing the walls to receive them, and when secured afford passageways through the fluid-tight tank for the securing bolts 5 (cf. Fig. IV)

The bulkheads of such a-structure as this bled with the adjacent bulkheads 3 and are secured by through-bolts 5, which extend through the tubes 4 and through'orifices formed for them in the bulkheads, to constitute an assembled component of the completed structure. Such an assembled component, including two tank units and three bulkheads, is shown in Fig. ll. In the assembly suitable cushioning members, such as sleeves 6 and rings 7 of rubber are included, to afford adequate security and to relieve strain when abrupt changes of speed occur. The sheets of metal of which the bulkheads 3 are composed may be reenforced with plates 30 at the places where'they are orificed for the passage of bolts 5.

It is essential in such a monocoque spar as this that the box structure, consisting of the shell 2 of corrugated metal, and the webs 20 of sheet metal to which at their forward and rear edges the sheets of corrugated metal are united, be permanently riveted, and this box structure constitutes a second preformed and unitary component of the completed structure. These two preformed components then are brought together by the insertion heads are at their e ges united by bolting or by equivalent union to the shell 2 and to r the webs 20. In the spar structure so com- 'pleted the bulkheads serve the double purof carrying the fuel tank.

tank assembly:

pose of. supporting-and bracing the shell and two togetherjthefiller necks8 for the units and the supply-line fittings 9 are carthe tank. The tank in this case is completed .by a side-wall shell 11 which at its edges is secured in fuel-tight union upon the bulkheads. v

Again; in Fig. VI a bulkhead is shown to consist of a partition wall 12 arranged within the tank and an auxiliary strip 13 secured to the tank externally and in the lane of the extent of partition 12, to whic ex ternal strip union of the shell 2 may be effected. I i

The fuel tank built and supported as described may be arranged at any desired place in the extent of the spar, in the inboard or in the outboard portion, or in both.

I claim as my invention 1. In an airplane wing havin spaced, longitudinally-extending, reinforcing members, transversely-arranged interconnecting, vertical corrugizted members connected at theirends to t e wing brace members, said corrugated members being arranged at spaced intervals, tank means interposed between lsmaid corrugated means and supported there- 2. In an airplane wing having spaced, longitudinally-extending, reinforcing members, transversel -arranged, interconnectin corrugated mem rs connected at their en to the wing brace members, said corrugated members being arranged at spaced intervals,

' 'to side, therethroug tank means inte osed between said.corr ugated means an' supported thereby, sai tankmeans comprising a tank enclosure havgated members, rods passing through said corrugated members and secured thereto, and a tank mounted on said rods whereby said tank is yieldingly supported by said corruinforcing members, a cover therefor compris ing a corrugated skin with the corrugations arranged longitudinally of the wing, interiorly-arranged, spaced, corrugated members forming bulkheads between the longitudinal reinforcin members, and means of supporting a tankiy and between said interiorly-disposed corrugated supporting members.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

. HERBERT V. THADEN.

ing open-ended p'gesf extending from side or receiving said tank supporting means.

8. an airplane wing having spaced, longitudinally-extending, reinforcing members, transversel -arranged, intercom corrugated mem rs connected at their an to the wing brace members, said corrugated members being arranged at spaced intervals,

tank means interposed between said corrugated means and supported thereby, said tank means comprising a tank enclosure h? o -ended Bi extending from side'to si erethroug I or receiving saidtanksupporting means, and yielding members between and tank supportin means and the corrugated means and sai tank.

4. In an airplane wing, longitudinallyspaced, reinforcing members, transverselymtms d, m on e ns P 

